Over the past few years, Milan has quietly emerged as a hotspot for members-only clubs—in part thanks to the steady influx of residents from abroad, drawn not only by its city’s modish lifestyle, but also by favorable tax incentives for foreign businesses and investors.
Notoriously private, Milanese well-offs often hide the opulence of their family homes behind unassuming, hard-to-spot entrances. Respectful of local etiquette, The Wilde—the newest member of the elite circle of Milan’s private clubs—resides in the former palazzo of Santo Versace, nestled on the leafy Via dei Giardini in one of the city’s toniest neighborhoods, just steps away from Via Montenapoleone. Called Villa del Platano and built in 1954, its understated iron gate is easy to miss, which is entirely the point—The Wilde is about discretion, spiced up with a dash of soigné cool.
Photo: Giulio Ghirardi
Founded by hospitality entrepreneur Gary Landesberg, former executive chairman and shareholder of London’s The Arts Club, and creatively led by Alasdhair Willis, The Wilde’s British-Milanese pedigree is poised to draw an international crowd from art, fashion, design, finance, and society. “It’s a time of global mobility, and Milan is experiencing a moment, with its blend of great culture, cuisine, and relevance in the fashion and design worlds,” noted Ben Pundole, the club’s chief brand and marketing officer, who brings extensive hospitality expertise from his work developing Ian Schrager’s Edition hotels.
Given Milan’s emphasis on stylish (sometimes bordering on fastidious) presentation, the club’s decor has been entrusted to Milan-born, Paris-based architect Fabrizio Casiraghi, whose taste for elegant, polished interiors has also shaped the Sant’Ambroeus café and restaurant that has become one of the city’s chicest hotspots.
Photo: Giulio Ghirardi
Photo: Giulio Ghirardi
Spanning four floors and topped by a sprawling rooftop terrace overlooking the garden of the adjacent Palazzo Borromeo d’Adda, The Wilde provides its members with an array of restaurants offering diverse cuisines, from traditional Mediterranean dishes and Latin American-Japanese delicacies to bars serving drinks and aperitivos; Arturo’s, meanwhile, is an old-fashioned cigar lounge tucked into a feutré nook. The club also includes private dining rooms for intimate gatherings, as well as spaces dedicated to cultural programs, talks, and live performances, rounding out its extensive entertainment menu. A gym with state-of-the-art equipment is a definite no though, as the atmosphere is anything but informal—members are expected to arrive already fit and stylish, to complement comme il faut the plush golden-lit ambiance.